Making Outdoor Learning Accessible

Escalera Access is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to outdoor education opportunities for youth and families throughout Northern New Mexico.

Through hands-on learning experiences and community partnerships, Escalera Access helps young people explore the connections between movement, technology, environmental systems, and recreation while building confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging in the outdoors.

Through free community programming, participants are introduced to the KES Framework and experience place-based STEAM learning that connects recreation to science, technology, engineering, and environmental systems.

Programs are delivered through partnerships with local businesses, community organizations, and guest experts. Our primary educational partner, Escalera Academy LLC, developed the KES Framework—an interdisciplinary educational approach that explores recreation through three connected lenses:

Kinesiology – Understanding how the body moves, performs, and adapts.

Engineering – Exploring the tools, gear, materials, and innovations that support recreation.

Sustainability – Examining the environmental systems, resources, and stewardship practices that make recreation possible.

By connecting these three pillars, participants gain a deeper understanding of the people, technologies, and environments that make outdoor recreation possible.

Scholarships will be available through Escalera Access for eligible families.

Mission

Escalera Access expands equitable access to transformative outdoor and STEAM education, empowering diverse youth to explore lesser-known career pathways in health, engineering, and beyond.